PRS Sleuths, Need Your Help

[Mark Ray]

I have with me for a couple of days a PRS owned by a local player who sadly passed away a couple weeks ago. He owned a good bit of gear, and left this guitar to the lead vocalist of our band (his best friend). I cleaned it up, treated the fingerboard, re-strung it. This guitar won't be up for sale-just trying to get some details for the new owner. There is no case candy.

I probably have this info in the PRS book that I have laying around here somewhere, but I figured it's easier (and more fun) to ask youz guyz!

Here are the details:

Serial #970483
Headstock decal reads "PRS Electric"
Bolt-on maple neck
Rosewood FB
Dot inlays
Winged tuners
Trem
24 frets
3-way switch
Solid red

I don't know if the body is alder, mahogany, mahogany w/maple top, etc.

 

[David Eaton]

It's from 1989 when PRS first did a bolt on model. It's a precursor of the CE-24...precursor in name. It was originally called the "Classic Electric" but Peavey had a trademark on that and thus the CE was born. Typically these have Indian Rosewood fingerboards. Body should be alder, may not be one piece. This is mine:



Probably HFS and Vintage Bass pickups, but mine are not labelled:





I changed the threeway switch for a 5-way rotary. It's a nice guitar.

 

[Mark Ray]

Thanks David! That is good stuff to know. I didn't realize this guitar was that old. I had seen Les play it before, but never seen it up close to see the headstock logo. It plays and sounds good. The wide-thin does not work for me, but William, the new owner likes it a lot.

 

[Herr Squid]

Here's one of the '89s with a maple/maple neck. If the one you saw has a 3-way switch, it's one of the very earliest ones.